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eskimo39

Hi I am planning on putting 2 200W outdoor lights at the back of our house and will be using 1.5mm2 Twin & Earth to do so. I will take a feed from my consumer box (In the attic) straight outside so it is just under the eves and am now wondering on the best way to get a switch downstairs on an outside wall.

Am I best taking the whole wire down to the switch first and then running 2 additional cables from the switch to each light?

Or

Use PVC Singles and take the cables to a IP junction box under the eves and in the middle of the two lights, Run a neutral & Earth to each light in conduit and then run phase & earth to the 2g1w switch (Also IP rated) and then 2 single phase back up to the lights?

Sorry for my naievity, I am currently a few months into my C&G2330 but will be having the installation checked by my employer once I have finished it to make sure.

I know how to wire this if my outlet was in the same area as my switch but because the outlet is coming from the top of my house due to an unusually placed consumer unit, I am wondering if there is a way to wire it without having to take a feed all the way down the outside wall, only to have to come back up to each light.

Many thanks in advance

P.S Do I have to buy specialist waterproof conduit or will conduit from screwfix be fine once all joins are glued.
 
I would wire the switch(suitably IP rated) in arctic flex straight up and into the loft space- fit 4 terminal JB then bring the feed to that - then wire the two lights off the jb.
 
Many thanks guys. I know it is very unusual, I have worked in about 20 houses over the last month and never seen a CU in an attic. It is just above the access hatch???

12345aob, would I be right in assuming that I would take the feed from the CU down to the switch and then run a feed from the switch back up to the lights via a JB?

Thanks again
 
I've never seen CU in loft- what type of supply?

12345aob, would I be right in assuming that I would take the feed from the CU down to the switch and then run a feed from the switch back up to the lights via a JB?

No i would feed the JB and switch the live - imagine the JB as the cieling rose.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi many thanks for the answers. Our house is more of an ex farm and the input supply comes from a powerline directly into the 3rd floor roof space. We recently had an electrician fit a fully rcd'd CU and it was put there as all the outlets in the house ran there from a wiring job in the 90's, rather than get the house re wired.

I never thought to imagine it as a ceiling rose using a JB but feel stupid now as that is so obvious.

I have just ordered some conduit and female adaptors from screwfix with some glue. once the conduit is fitted and glued, will it be waterproof or do I need to purchase a specific gland to go into the IP66 switch?
 
An alternative to running switch wires is to fit wireless switches (TLC.co.uk) or contactum website. all you need is a perm supply to the receivers(obviously fused etc) and then fit the transmitters as you would a normal switch but without the interconn cable. some of the transitter switches even have a piezo energy system so batteries are unnecessary
 
I have just ordered some conduit and female adaptors from screwfix with some glue. once the conduit is fitted and glued, will it be waterproof or do I need to purchase a specific gland to go into the IP66 switch?

Seems like a right load of hassle running conduit round your house for the sake of a couple of poxy 200w's. And i personally think it looks a bit crap too.
Unless the environment dictated that i needed that level of mechanical protection i'd just clip some T&E to each point i.e T&E from CU to 1st light, T&E from 1st light to Switch (feed and switch wire) and link out the switch wire and neutral in the first light to the 2nd light.
If you do need some extra mechanical protection why not run a 1mm 3 core swa - even if just down to the switch? Looks much neater and a lot less time consuming.
 
Would fitting a security light outside be regarded as a 'special locations' insatallation, therefore notifiable under part P? Something to consider maybe?
 
Out side light on the mounted exterior of a building dosnt require notification (if you spur off existing circuit), a new circuit will.
 

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